JP2006162195A - Refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve maintainability, by dispensing with water supply work to a water storage tank of a mist generator. <P>SOLUTION: This refrigerator has a refrigerating space cooled by the cold air circulation, a drawer type vegetable chamber 2 partitioned and arranged in this refrigerating space, and the mist generator 12 for supplying a misty moisture particle in this vegetable chamber 2; and has a cover 9 having an inclined surface part for covering an upper surface opening part of the vegetable chamber 2; and is constituted so as to introduce moisture condensed in the inclined surface parts 11b, 11c, 11d and 11e to the water storage tank 13 of the mist generator 12, by arranging the mist generator 12 in a lower part of the inclined surface parts 11b, 11c, 11d and 11e of this cover 9. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a refrigerator provided with a mist generator for supplying mist-like moisture particles into a vegetable compartment.

  In this kind of refrigerator, the water supply apparatus which supplies water to the water storage tank of a mist generator is provided. This water supply apparatus includes a water supply tank that is detachably disposed in the refrigerator compartment, a water supply pump that guides water in the water supply tank to the water storage tank of the mist generating apparatus, and a water supply path. An example of such a configuration has already been filed by the present applicant (Japanese Patent Application No. 2004-301968). This patent application is not yet known.

  In the case of the above conventional configuration, in order to supply water to the water supply tank, the user removes the water tank from the refrigerator compartment, puts water into the water tank, and sets the water tank again in the refrigerator compartment. There is a problem that this operation is troublesome because it must be performed regularly.

  Then, the objective of this invention is providing the refrigerator which can make a water supply operation | work unnecessary and can improve maintenance property.

  The refrigerator of the present invention includes a refrigerated space cooled by cold air circulation, a drawer-type vegetable compartment partitioned and provided in the refrigerated space, and a mist generator for supplying mist-like moisture particles into the vegetable compartment. Provided with a cover that covers the upper surface opening of the vegetable compartment and has an inclined surface portion, and the mist generating device is disposed below the inclined surface portion of the cover, and dew condensation occurs on the inclined surface portion. It is characterized in that it is configured to guide moisture to the water storage tank of the mist generator.

  According to the refrigerator of the present invention, the mist generating device is disposed below the inclined surface portion of the cover that covers the upper surface opening of the vegetable room, and the moisture condensed on the inclined surface portion is guided to the water storage tank of the mist generating device. Therefore, it is possible to condense the moisture generated from the vegetables stored in the vegetable compartment and place the water in the water storage tank of the mist generating device to supply water, so that the effect of eliminating the need for water supply work can be obtained.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a household refrigerator will be described with reference to the drawings. First, FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a configuration around the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator of this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the main body 1 of the refrigerator is formed of a heat insulating box, and a drawer-type vegetable compartment 2 is provided in an intermediate portion in the vertical direction in the main body 1.

  Above the vegetable compartment 2 in the main body 1, a refrigerated compartment 3 (only part of which is shown) is disposed via a partition plate 4. The vegetable room 2 is configured to be slightly hotter and higher in humidity than the refrigerated room 3. Also, below the vegetable compartment 2 in the main body 1, an ice making chamber 6 (only part of which is shown) and a temperature switching chamber (not shown) are arranged side by side through a heat insulating partition wall 5 and further below that. A freezer compartment (not shown) is provided.

  The ice making room 6, the temperature switching room, and the freezing room are, for example, drawer-type storage rooms. The front opening of the refrigerating chamber 3 is configured to be opened and closed by a refrigerating chamber door 3 a that is rotatably provided in the main body 1. In the case of the above configuration, the space above the heat insulating partition wall 5 in the main body 1 (that is, the refrigerator compartment 3 and the vegetable compartment 2) is a refrigerator space, and the space below the heat insulating partition wall 5 (that is, the ice making chamber 6). And a freezing room) is a freezing space.

  The refrigeration space is configured to be cooled and controlled so as to be maintained at a set temperature by circulating cold air through a refrigeration cooler 7, a fan (not shown), and a duct disposed on the back surface. Further, the refrigeration space is configured to be cooled and controlled to be maintained at a set temperature by circulating cold air through a refrigeration cooler, a fan, and a duct (all not shown) disposed on the back surface. Yes. Furthermore, a machine room (not shown) is provided in the lowermost back part of the main body 1, and a compressor, a radiator, and the like are disposed in the machine room.

  Now, in the vegetable compartment 2, the vegetable container 8 which accommodates vegetables is arrange | positioned so that drawing is possible. This vegetable container 8 is detachably attached to the vegetable compartment door 2a, and is configured to move integrally with the vegetable compartment door 2a. At the upper part in the vegetable compartment 2, a cover 9 is provided to cover the top opening of the vegetable container 8 (ie, the vegetable compartment 2). The cover 9 is configured to cover the upper surface opening of the vegetable container 8 so that the inside of the vegetable container 8 is in a semi-sealed state when the vegetable room door 2a closes the opening of the vegetable room 2. ing.

  The cover 9 is made of a metal plate such as an aluminum plate, for example, and is formed in a shallow rectangular container shape upside down. As shown in FIG. 2, the bottom wall portion (upper wall portion) 10 of the cover 9 is formed with a convex portion (also referred to as a concave portion) 11 that protrudes downward as a whole. The part 11a is provided at a position close to the left end side in FIG. 1 (lower end side in FIG. 2A). Four convex inclined surface portions 11b, 11c, 11d, and 11e are formed on the convex portion 11 so as to be continuous with the disk-like deepest portion 11a.

  And the mist generator 12 is arrange | positioned at the lower surface of the deepest part 11a of the cover 9, as shown in FIG.1 and FIG.3. The mist generating device 12 includes a water storage tank 13, a water supply core 14, an ultrasonic transducer 15, and a spring 16. The water storage tank 13 is formed in a shallow circular container shape, and three attachment ribs 17 are provided radially and equidistantly from the center at the upper surface opening. Each one end of these three mounting ribs 17 is connected at the center, and each other end is connected to the opening edge of the water storage tank 13.

  As shown in FIG. 4, two engaging claws 17 a and 17 a protrude from the connecting portion at each end of the three mounting ribs 17. The mist generating device 12 is attached to the cover 9 by engaging these engaging claws 17a and 17a with an engaging hole formed in the deepest portion 11a of the convex portion 11 of the cover 9 (see FIG. 3). In the case of this configuration, the size (diameter) of the water storage tank 13 is configured to be larger than the size (diameter) of the deepest portion 11 a of the convex portion 11 of the cover 9.

  The water supply core 14 is formed of a rod-like felt fiber, is provided so as to penetrate the center of the bottom of the water storage tank 13, and the upper part thereof is immersed in the water in the water storage tank 13. On the lower end surface of the water supply core 14, an ultrasonic transducer 15 is held by a spring 16 so as to always contact the water supply core 14. The ultrasonic vibrator 15 is constituted by a disk-type vibrator formed by forming nickel or stainless steel corrosion-resistant electrodes on a piezoelectric element such as lead zirconate titanate or barium titanate. The ultrasonic vibrator 15 is configured to generate mist-like water fine particles having a particle diameter of, for example, about 5 μm on the smooth surface of the ultrasonic vibrator 15 by increasing the vibration frequency.

  The mist-like water fine particles generated on the smooth surface of the ultrasonic transducer 15 are supplied into the vegetable container 8 so that the vegetable container 8 is maintained in a high humidity atmosphere. ing. A control circuit 18 for controlling energization of the ultrasonic transducer 15 is disposed at the rear of the upper surface portion of the cover 9 (see FIG. 1).

  In the case of the above configuration, a humidity sensor (not shown) for detecting the humidity in the vegetable container 8 is provided, and the mist generator 12 is energized and driven when the humidity detected by the humidity gland difference is lower than the set value. It is preferable to configure. The humidity sensor may be configured to be provided on the inner surface of the cover 9, for example.

  Next, the operation of the above configuration, that is, the operation of supplying water to the water storage tank 13 of the mist generator 12 will be described. The vegetable compartment 2, that is, the outside of the vegetable container 8 and the cover 9, is cooled by circulating cold air. And since vegetables are accommodated in the inside of the vegetable container 8 and the cover 9, and the mist is supplied by the mist generator 12, the inside becomes the atmosphere of high humidity. For this reason, dew condensation occurs on the inner surface of the cover 9 made of a metal plate.

  The dew condensation, that is, water droplets move downward along the inclined surface portions 11b, 11c, 11d, and 11e of the convex portion 11 of the cover 9, reach the lower surface of the deepest portion 11a of the convex portion 11, and then generate mist. It drops into the water storage tank 13 of the device 12. Thereby, moisture condensed on the inner surface portions (inclined surface portions 11b, 11c, 11d, and 11e) of the cover 9 is guided and stored in the water storage tank 13 of the mist generating device 12. That is, water is supplied into the water storage tank 13.

  In addition, the water in the water storage tank 13 is impregnated in the water supply core 14, is misted by the vibration of the ultrasonic vibrator 15, and is supplied into the vegetable container 8. Thereby, the inside of the vegetable container 8 is kept at high humidity. Note that the amount of water used in the water storage tank 13 by the mist generator 12 is about 7 ml per day, as is known from the actual use (experiments, tests, etc.) of the refrigerator.

  Further, the stored vegetables are sequentially taken out from the vegetable container 8, and new fresh vegetables are sequentially stored in the vegetable container 8. Accordingly, it is possible to sufficiently supply water into the water storage tank 13 of the mist generating device 12 with the moisture condensed on the cover 9. In this embodiment, the water supply device for supplying water to the water storage tank 13 of the mist generating device 12, that is, the water supply tank and the water supply pump are not provided. However, the water supply tank and the water supply pump are provided in the refrigerator compartment, You may comprise so that the water in a tank may be supplied in the water storage tank 13 of the mist generator 12 via a water supply hose with a water supply pump.

  In this embodiment having such a configuration, a mist generating device 12 is disposed below the inclined surface portions 11b, 11c, 11d, and 11e of the cover 9 of the vegetable compartment 2, and condensation is formed on the inclined surface portions 11b, 11c, 11d, and 11e. The constructed water was configured to be introduced into the water storage tank 13 of the mist generator 12. For this reason, it is possible to condense the moisture generated from the vegetables stored in the vegetable compartment 2 and put it in the water storage tank 13 of the mist generating device 12 to supply water permanently. be able to.

1 shows an embodiment of the present invention, and is a longitudinal side view of the vicinity of a vegetable room in the main body of a refrigerator. (A) is a top view of the cover, (b) is a sectional view taken along line BB in (a), and (c) is a sectional view taken along line AA in (a). Vertical section of mist generator and cover Top view of water tank

Explanation of symbols

In the drawings, 1 is a main body, 2 is a vegetable compartment, 5 is a heat insulating partition wall, 7 is a refrigerator for refrigeration, 8 is a vegetable container, 9 is a cover, 11 is a convex portion, 11a is a deepest portion, 11b, 11c, 11d, Reference numeral 11e denotes an inclined surface portion, 12 denotes a mist generating device, 13 denotes a water storage tank, 14 denotes a water supply core, 15 denotes an ultrasonic vibrator, 16 denotes a spring, and 17 denotes a mounting arm.

Claims (1)

In a refrigerator provided with a refrigerated space cooled by cold air circulation, a drawer-type vegetable compartment partitioned and provided in the refrigerated space, and a mist generator for supplying mist-like moisture particles into the vegetable compartment,
A cover that covers the upper surface opening of the vegetable compartment and has an inclined surface portion,
The refrigerator, wherein the mist generating device is disposed at a lower portion of the inclined surface portion of the cover, and moisture condensed on the inclined surface portion is guided to a water storage tank of the mist generating device.

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